Tone projector



Dec. 7 1926. 1,610,027 J. G. NOLEN v TONE PROJECTOR 1 Filed Dec. 17 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 711111111 III/IIIIIIII I i 01111111111 I 1111111/1 v INVENTOR .fames G. flblen Dec. 7,1926. I 1,610,027

J. G. NOLEN TONE PROJECTOR Filed Dec. 1'7 1 5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jmes Q/Yblen I D. GAAM: ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES JAMES NOLEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TONE PROJECTOR.

Application filed December This invention relates to phonograph sound boxes, radio loud speakers, telephones and the like, and means for improving the quality 01" sound transmitted therefrom and more particularly to the sound passages, through which the sound waves are conductcd from the diaphragm to the horn, though it is noted that the invention is not limited to horn devices nor to mechanically or electrically vibrated diaphragms, nor in some respects even to diaphragm devices.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind for reproducing the upper, lower and intermediate register sounds in their proper proportion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a diaphragm device of this kind in which the sound aves are transmitted from the peripheral, central and intermediate parts oi the diaphragm in proper proportion to give the sounds or dii'lerent register their proper value.

Another object of the invention is to adapt devices of this kind to sound boxes, horns and loud speakers of ditterent types or types already 011 the market.

Other objects of the invention are to mprove generally the simplicity and etliciency of such devices and to provide a device of this kind which is durable and reliable in operation, and very economical to manufact-tire.

Still other objects of the invention will appear the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are de scribed and claimed, the invention is not limited to these, since many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the broader claims.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objects are shown herein in connection with several im proved diaphragm transmitters which, briefy stated, include a diaphragm box comprising a top or end wall and carrying a diaphragm spaced from said wall, said wall having a sound passage, and a horn or tone arm communicating with said passage, said passage extending from the mid part of the diaphragm to the space over the periphery of the diaphragm, whereby proportionate amounts of the lower register sound waves from the periphery of the diaphragm, and

17, 1925. Serial No. 76,013.

upper register sound waves from the middle of the diaphragm together with intermediate register sound waves from points between the center and circumference of the diaphragm are transmitted to said sound passage and horn, thereby to produce undistorted, natural, evenly distributed sound and prevent tu-bbiness from excess of sound waves from the periphery, or excess of sharpness from excess of sound waves from the mid part of the diaphragm.

In certain of the species the cross-sectional area of the sound passage is constant, while in others the sound passage tapers from the space at the diaphragm to a more restricted sound opening at the small end of the tone arm or horn. In one species the sound passage is a group of passages, while in another the sound passage is formed in an adapter block for adapting the invention to loud speaking devices already known.

In the accompan ing drawing, showing by way of example, several of many possible embodiments of the invention.

Fig 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the invention as applied to a pho nograph diaphragm box and tone arm;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the invention embodied in a loud speaking tele phone;

Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow of said line;

Fig. 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow of said line;

Fig. 5 is a transverse horizontal sectional view, partly in plan, showing a modified form of sound passage means, said section being taken on a construction similar to that of Fig. l at a plane corresponding to that of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow of said line;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in axial section, showing another form of the inven tion embodied in a phonograph sound box;

7 is an axial vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, showing the sound passage adapter applied to a loud speaking telephone; and Fig. 8 is a plan showing the top of the device of Fig. 7, parts being omitted.

In Figs. 1 and 2 my invention is shown embodied in a sound or diaphragm box 10 comprising a top wall 11 3) and an annular side wall 12 (Fig. 1 provided at the outer edge of its inner face with a laterally threaded annular groove 13 forming a shoulder let receiving a pair of superposed sound insulating rubber rings 15 16 between which is disposed a diaphragm 18 spaced about one eighth of an inch below the inner face 1.9 of said top wall and held in place by an :rteriorly thr aded retaining rin 2O engaged with the threads of the groove and engaging the outer ring 16. Means includ ing a stylus bar 21 (Fig. 1), or a telephone magnet (Fig. 2) carried on a lower case member 23, vibrate the diaphragm intheusual manner.

Said top wall 11 is provided with a diametrically disposed cross-shaped sound passage 25 former by intersecting slot arms 26 and 27 3); and an upstanding wall 28 surrounding said passage receives a laterally turned tone arm or horn 2-9 of elongated cross-section having its small end 30 (Fig. i) of cross-shaped cross-section and mounted around said wall 20.

Certain of the slot arms cite short and terminate at the mic part or the diaphragm; vhile others of the s ct arms 2i extend as far as to the space over the periphery 33 of the diaphragm, whereby amounts of the lower register sound waves from the periphery of the diaphragm, and upper register sound waves from the middle as or the diaohragm together with intermediate register sound waves from successive points 35 between the center circum-leren e of the diaphragm are transmitted to saic. sound passage horn.

he cross-sectional areas 01" the various parts of the sound passages are such that the um of the areas at the mid part the diaphragm having about on third the diameter of the whole is equal to the sum of the areas at the peripheral and intermediate parts and taken together, as this is found to produce u distorted, naturah evenly distributed sound waves and preventtubbiir ss from excess of sound waves from the periphery or excess of sharpness from excess of sound waves from the mid part 01" the diaphra m; though it is noted that the invention is not lin ited to these proportions. it the sound is found to be too sha p the peripheral and intermediate areas are increased; and it the sound is too tubby they are decreased. Y

In Fig. 5 modified passage means corresponding to the cross-shaped passage 25 of Figs. 1 and 2 comprise a plurality of sound passages or bores 36 and 87 arranged in a diametrically disposed cross-shaped group formed by intersecting series or rows around which group the small end of cross-shaped cross-section of the tone arm is mounted. Certain of the rows, formed by bores 3t),

terminate near the mid part of the diaphragm; while others of the rows formed 0 the the periphgin, just as do the slot arn s of Figs. 1 and 2.

in the form of invention shown in Fig. 6, the uiaphragm boz; comprises an end or top wall 41 having a round central sound opening d2 surrounded by a neck 43 around *hieh the small end of tae tone arm or horn i i is received. The lower or inner part of saic end or wall is spaced about one eighth inch above the diaphragm and provided with a cross-shaped sound passage 5 0 ed by intersecting slot arms and 47, certain of the slot arms terminating under the periphery of the central opening 42 at both the upper and lower t'ac es of the end wal Others of ti e slot arms 4'? eX- tend at the inner face of the end wall tl to the space at the periphery of the diaphragm, and have inwardly and upwardly inclined upper faces terminating at the periphery of the said central opening 42, whereby properly proportionate amounts of sound waves from the various parts of the diaphragm are transn itted to said cen by bores 3'7, eaten l t cry 01" the diaphra Lral opening and horn substantially the same as in shows an adpter-blocl: i0" conveniently applying in; invention to a telephone or radio loud spealier such as are now on the mar et. $uch a loud sneaker may consist way of example, of a combined housing and stand 51 having a downwardly flared base fOl'll'lillf portion and a smaller interiorl threadec iteridiate portion 53 a top wall 54 having a central sound opening 55 and upstanding wall or neck 58 surrounding said opening, around rich is received the small end of the upstanding laterally turned horn 59. A telephone com prising a casing having a bottom wall 60 and an annular side wall 61 having exterior threads er a ed h the threads of the housing is disposed in said base and provided its upper part with a laterally threaded inner annular groove forming a should r 62 receiving a pair of horizontally disposed sound insulating rubber rings 63 between which is disposed a diaphragm 6 ivibrated by telephone on said bottom wall just under the diaphragm. An exteriorly threadd retaining ring 65 engaged with the threads of the roove holds said ru her rings and diaphragm in place.

The disk-shaped sound passage adapterblock 50 is disposed in said housing in con tact with said top wall with its lower face spacer about one eighth inch above the diaphragm and is provided with a crossshaped sound passage formed by intersecting slot arms and 6? substantially as in Fig. 6, certain of the slot arms 66 terminating under the periphery of the central opening at both the upper and lower face of the block, others or" the slotarms 6? extending, at the lower face of the blcclt, to the space above the periphery of the diaphragm, but terminating at the upper face at the periph cry of the said central opening whereby inv'ardly and upwardly inclined upper faces 68 are tormed by said slots, whereby properly proportionate amounts of sound Waves from the periphery and middle of the diaphragm and also trom points between the center and circumference of the diaphragm are t ansmitted to said central opening and horn, as in Fig. 6.

Thus all of the species of the invention produce undistorted, natural, evenly distributed sound and prevent either tubbiness or excess or sharp sound waves.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a means for simultaneously producing upper, lower and inter nediate register sound vibrations; meams n'niing a sound outlet and sound passage mez us for conductingto said outlet the apps ister vibrations and a limited amount intermediate and lower register vib" 2. In combination, a vibratory simultaneously producing upper and register sounds from dilierent or mea is; means forming a sound outlet; a. sound passage means for conducting to sai outlet sound vibration from the upper register areas and from a limited portion of the lo W-er register area.

3. In combination, a vibratory means for simultaneously producing upper, ant intermediate register sounds from different areas of said means; means forming a sound outlet; and sound passage me -s for conducting, to said outlet, sou 1d vibration from the upper register areas and from a l' iited part of the intermediate register areas.

#1. In combination, a vibratory means for simultaneously producing lower and intermediate register sounds from diii'ercnt areas Off said means; means forming a sount. outlet; and sound passage means for conducting to said outlet sound vibration from li d parts of the intermediate and lower regu areas.

5. In combination, a dia 'ihragn'i; mean forming a sound outlet; and sound pa'ssag means conducting sound to said outlet trei a limited area from the mid and periphera parts of the diaphragm, said ar a from the peripheral part being less than half that of the mid part.

6. In combination, a diaphragm; means forming a sound outlet; and sound passage means conducting sound to said outlet from a limited area from the mid and intermediate parts of the diaphragm, said area from the intern'iediate part being less than half that of the mid part.

7. In combination, a diaphragm; means n a a iii.

L caw forming a sound outlet; and so ind prssage means conducting sound to said outlet from a limited area from the mid, peripheral, and intermediate parts of the diaphragm, said areas from the peripheral and intermediate parts being each less than half that or the mid part area.

8. In combin: tion, an end wall having a sound outlet; and a diaphragm slightly spaced from said \vall; said wall being provided With a sound passage extending from the mid, peripheral and intermediate parts ,Olillb.

9. In cenibii'iation, a t 1 gm b X com-- prising an end vrall; a tiaphragm spaced from said end Wail; said wall. haviug a sound passage; and a tone arm i u L ing with said pass ye; said, l. ing ilirom the mid part of t the space over the periphery e pliragm whereby sound vaves 'l ri l and. from th mid/ll p "i a Li v '1' a a in n l and an ann a *ross the l J iune l said top nail;

th id top Wall i ietri .hap Say. hori te 1 near 1 pl ragn oi: soace over ti 11. In com prising an i wall and provided at the cute inner face h a laterally thrcu 1 groove forming a shoulder a posed sound insulating rub in said groove phragm between eighth of an inch be Q inner tace of sail end vvall; an eriterioriy tn-ended retaining rine e ds er the groove an i rings and diaphragm in place irati 1g the diaphragm; .lflld e wall mg a dametrically disposed cross-shaped sound passage formed by intersecting slot arms and upstanding \va ing; and an upv horn of elongated small end of crossmounted around sa t.

shaped cross-section and i Jug Wall; certain of the slot arms terminating near the mid part oi the diaphragm; ot IVES of the slots extending to the space just over the periphery of the diaphragn 12. In combination, a diaphragm box torted, natural, evenly distributed comprising a top wall and an annular side wall; a diaphragm across the box justbelow the inner face of said top wall; means vibrating the diaphragm; said top wall having a crossshaped sound passage formed by intersecting slot arms; and a horn having its small end of cross-shaped cross-section and mounted on said top wall around said passage; certain of the slot arms being quite short and terminating near the mid part of the diaphragm; others of the slots extending to the space over the periphery of the ciaphragm, whereby properly proportionate amounts of the lower register sound waves from the periphery oi the diaphragm, and upper register sound waves from the middle of the diaphragm together with intermediate register sound waves from points between the center and circumference of the diaphragm are transmitted to said sound passage and horn; thereby to produce sound and prevent tubbiness from :zcess or sound waves from the periphery, or cess sharpness from excess of sound *aves from the mid part of the diaphragm.

18. In combination, a diaphragm box comprising an end wall and an annular side wall; a diaphragm across the box slightly spaced below the inner face of said top wall; means vibrating the diaphragm; said end wall having a plurality of sound pas ages therethrough arranged in a theme -ically disposed cross-shaped group formed by in tersecting series and rows of ar 15; a horn lTELVlD its small end or cross-shaped crosssection and mounted on said end wall around said group; certain 01 the series of aims terminating near the mid part oi? the diphragm; others of the series arms extending to the space the periphery of the diaphragm.

14. In combination, a diaphr n box comprising a top wall and an annintr side wall having a central sound opening, a dia phragm across said box; means for vibrating the diaphragm; a horn communicating with said opening; the lower part of said top wall being spaced slightly above the diaphragm and provided with a cross-shaped sound pas sagei formed by intersecting slot arms;-certain 01"" the slot arms terminating under the periphery of the central opening at both the upper and lower faces of the block; others of the slots extending at the inner face of the top wall to space at the periphery of the diaphragm, and having inwardly and upwardly inclined upper races terminating at the periphery of said central opening.

15. In combination, a housing open at the bottom and having a top wall having a central sound opening; said housing being adaoted to receive a telephone having a diaphragm at the upper part; and a disk shaped sound passage adapter-blobk disposed in said housing in contact with said top wall and having a sound passage extending from the space just above the periphery of the diaphragm to central opening.

in combination, a combined housing and stand having a downwardly flared base forming portion, a smaller internally threaded intermediate portion, and a top wall having a central sound opening; a horn communicating with said opening; said housl 3' being adapted to receive a telephone com rising a casing having an annular side wall. having exterior threads engaged with the ads of the housing; a diaphragm the upper part of the casing; and a shaped sound passage adapter-block isnosed in said housing in contact with said up wall and having its lower face spaced lightly above the diaphragm and provided a cross-shaped sound passage formed by intersecting slot arms; certain of the slot arms terminating under the periphery of the central opening at both the upper and lower faces of the block; others of the slots extending at the lower face of the block to the space above the periphery of the diaphragm, but terminating at said central opening. A

Signed at New York, in the county of hew Y rk and State of New York, this 17th day of Becember A. D. 19:25.

JAMES G. NOLEN. 

